“A stolen Iraqi artifact was returned to the Government of Iraq! Yesterday the U.S. Embassy met with the Deputy Minister of Culture for Antiquities & Heritage Affairs Qais Rasheed to return an antique chess set, owned by Saddam Hussein, stolen in 2003 and recovered by the FBI,” read the statement on the embassy’s website.

“The U.S. is committed to helping return stolen Iraqi artefacts.”

It shared numerous pictures of the chess set but did not give further details as to who it had been stolen by or where it had been recovered.

Mr Hussein was captured in December 2003, nine months after the US toppled his Ba'athist regime. He was executed in December 2006, having been convicted of crimes against humanity by the Iraqi Special Tribunal.